“The knowledge of our past creates new forms of beauty” Antonio Ratti

“Il tessuto come arte: Antonio Ratti imprenditore e mecenate” (“Fabric as a form of art: Antonio Ratti, entrepreneur and art patron”) is the title of a new exhibition in honour of Mr. Ratti, an Italian businessman from the city of Como who has merged textile production and creativity together through the activity of its Foundation – FAR.

Sponsored by the Municipality of Mantua (Italy), the International Centre of Arts and Culture of Palazzo Te, the Civic Museums of Palazzo Te, and by the Antonio Ratti Foundation, and curated by Lorenzo Benedetti, Annie Ratti and Maddalena Terragni, the exhibition tells about fabric in its various forms.

Installation view

Domenico Palma_Archivi

Diego Perrone

From the 1st of October 2017 to the 7th of January 2018, the visitors will have the opportunity of literally touching with their hands the various fabrics on show, all coming from the collection of ancient artefacts belonging to FAR and to the large archives property of Ratti company. The fabrics on show represent a historical excursus on textile production. Starting from Coptic and pre-Columbian examples, up to arrive to neck ties and ribbons from the Nineteenth century.

Installation view

When he was 30, pushed from a strong passion for his work, this Italian businessman converted a design studio into a true company denominated “Tessitura Serica Antonio Ratti”, with the objective of marketing foulards and ties. The initiative gave birth to his long-established business activity, which reached its maximum success with the launch of Ratti Group – a world excellence for the textile production, including the usage of ultimate techniques and methods aimed at a higher quality and continuous experimentation.

The entire set for the exhibition has been inspired by two important exhibitions that have taken place in New York and Tokyo, entitled “Ratti & Paisley: the cashmere culture” (1986) and “Ratti & Paisley” (1988), respectively.